


Showstopper

by Nububu



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: A little bit of fluff, Action & Romance, Akumatized villain, And there was already an akumatized magician too ugh but only mentioned not as an episode, F/M, Gen, I know there was already a villain that Gabriel Agreste humiliated on live tv but, It is supposed to seem like a normal episode of Miraculous Ladybug, LadyNoir - Freeform, Magic, STILL this is how I would want one of the episodes to be written xD haha, Spoilers, adrienette - Freeform, hostage, ladrien, magician, puns i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-28 20:57:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6344881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nububu/pseuds/Nububu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A magician is humiliated on stage at a big event by Gabriel Agreste after performing an act for him. When the magician is akumatized, he holds Adrien hostage in his life-threatening akumatized magic show as payback for Gabriel Agreste’s transgressions. Magic, danger, and excitement ensues, as Ladybug (and Chat Noir!) have to save the day once again!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Magic for Charity

**Author's Note:**

> (It takes a while before he is akumatized, but I promise it will be worth your time!)

As classical lounge-music is played in the background, every one of Paris’ most popular, prestigious and prosperous people found themselves a table and a seat.

Chloe Bourgeois and her father, Mayor Bourgeois of Paris, purposely sat closest to the stage, where the orchestra, that was playing the relaxing background music, was performing live on stage in the mayor’s very own hotel. A _whole_ orchestra had been paid for just to play _backdrop_ music whilst the guests were still just being served their _welcome drinks_ – when just a normal stereo would have been quite enough!

This was not just any fancy charity event. This was Paris’, perhaps even France’s, _finest_ charity event. Not only was the guest list filled with big names like Jagged Stone, the famous rock star, and Mireille, the ever-so-popular weather girl on TV…

But it was impressive all on its own that they were even able to invite Gabriel Agreste himself, and have him show up _in person_!

_(At least, that’s what Adrien thought.)_

Adrien Agreste was seated at a round table with his father, Gabriel Agreste. Adrien and his father were positioned so they were facing each other, with Gabriel’s assistant Natalie and Adrien’s bodyguard placed between them. And everyone in the ballroom of the hotel were seated so they could watch the stage for the charity event show, which was about to start.

Chloe of course waved ecstatically to Adrien from her seat and lovingly sang out his name. “ _Adrien!_ Oh Adrien~♫”

With a forced smile, he silently waved back to her out of courtesy, admitting to himself that it was better to sit next to his stoic father and the Gorilla all night than sit next to her.

 

* * *

 

In the household of Dupain-Cheng, Marinette could only watch enviously through the TV-screen as the events of the hotel’s big charity party unfolded. She knew Adrien was there, and of course Chloe _had_ to be there as well. _Ugh, being the mayor’s daughter must be so nice_ , Marinette thought enviously to herself _. Especially if you get to be with Adrien in person at big, expensive, fancy events like this…_

“Chloe probably doesn’t even care that it’s an event for _charity_ ,” Marinette complained aloud to herself, crossing her arms and slouching miserably on the couch in the family living room.

“Now, Marinette,” her mother chimed in, sitting on the couch next to her. “I’m sure your classmate Chloe and her father, the mayor, care a lot about this charity event.”

“Yeah,” Marinette’s father added. “Just look at all the _great_ performers they’ve got lined up for the stage show!” He held out the poster for Mayor Bourgeois’ charity event, which clearly had a long list of excellent performers, and it even had a shout-out to some of the names on the celebrity guest list. At the top of the poster, it said to donate any amount you’d like with your cell phone, and to _enjoy_ the event, as it was being recorded live so anyone could follow along with the party on their TV’s at home.

Marinette perked up at the thought of it, and the Dupain-Cheng family had even made a night out of the event. Her parents had noticed Marinette’s interest in the show and thought it would be nice to finally spend some quality-time together, since Marinette was so busy lately that she was barely home anymore.

 

* * *

 

“ _Ladies_ and _Gentlemen_ , please be seated.” The host spoke from up on the stage, after the orchestra had packed up and cleared out. “We are about to begin the show for charity, and we hope that not only our viewers from home, but also _you_ – our most prestigious _guests_ that I see before me tonight, will be so _charitable_ as to donate a little of your time _and_ money to Mayor Bourgeois’ charity fund after the show. Remember, every little bit helps!”

A round of applause sounded from the guests in the ballroom, and Adrien livened up in his seat, eyes set on the stage. He was looking forward to the opening act, which he had heard was going to be a real live _magician_. Adrien had never seen a magic performance before in his life. An eager smile stretched from ear to ear on his face.

“Give it up for the _great_ , the _fabulous_ , the **_romantic_** _magician_ , Rémy Bouchard!”

In a whirlwind of rose petals, a man suddenly appeared up on the stage! He wore a bedazzling purple suit with a pink rose sticking out of the chest pocket. As if that wasn’t enough, he had long and beautiful pink hair, much like his roses, and a magnificent magician’s top hat to top it off.

Adrien was in awe already, and he delightedly applauded the magician along with the rest of the audience in the ballroom of the mayor’s hotel.

“Thank you, thank you everyone,” the magician bowed and tipped his hat to the audience. As he did, it showed a white bunny sitting on top of his head! Everyone in the audience laughed, and the magician put his hat back on, jokingly exclaiming “ _Oh!_ Well, looks like my little friend was just too eager to wait until I pulled him out.”

He pulled a beautiful woman from the audience on stage and gave her one of his token roses. Then, exclaiming that _one_ rose was simply not enough for such a beautiful lady like her, he took the rose, spun it around in his hand, and suddenly an entire bouquet blew up in an explosion of rose petals from the single rose! He then gave it to her, and let the bedazzled woman exit the stage with a full-blown bouquet of roses.

Adrien was simply amazed.

Not only was this his first magic show ever, but the magician was ( _almost!_ ) as smooth as Chat Noir himself.

The magician continued striking awe and admiration in the audience, pulling off one magic trick after the other.

“Now, ladies and gentlemen, I hate to say this, but my time on stage is almost up,” The magician pulled out an envelope from inside his suit. “But before I let famous rock star Jagged Stone onto the stage, allow me just one last performance tonight.”

“I have here an envelope with the name of one very special and _very_ lucky guest, who will be invited up on stage and help me out with this, my last magic act!” He opened the envelope, and the magicians smile widened so his teeth glimmered in the spotlight.

“ ** _Adrien Agreste!_** ”

A spotlight shone on the seat of one overwhelmed Adrien.

His father had not changed his stoic expression all evening, not even in the slightest during all of Mr. Rémy Bouchard’s stunning magic show, but it was at this moment that his expression slightly changed from his usual stoic furrowed brow to… his usual stoic furrowed brow followed by a _death_ _stare_ in the direction of the magician on stage.

The Gorilla noticed Mr. Agreste’s demeanour and looked ready to pounce if anyone as much as _thought_ of dragging Adrien up on that stage.

Adrien’s excitement quickly drained as his father spoke up to the stage magician. “Under _no_ circumstances will my son be involved in any **_dangerous_** tricks!”

The magician put on his best show face and sent a winning smile at Gabriel Agreste. “Oh, there’s really no need to worry Mr. Agreste, Adrien will be perfectly safe up on stage with me! Sure, a lot of the time magic is about _danger_ and _excitement_ , but I promise you on my honour as a magician, _no harm_ will come to him during _my_ show.”

Mr. Agreste did not seem impressed or convinced at all. Adrien looked pleadingly at his father, but as soon as he looked back at him, Adrien knew there was no changing his mind.

“ _Fine_ ,” Mr. Agreste answered, to Adrien’s surprise.

Adrien looked up with renewed spirits. His very first magic show and he was going to be _in_ it! One could say he was almost like a small child inside, since much of his childhood had been deprived of such joys.

He ran up to the stage and shook hands with the magician Mr. Rémy Bouchard.

“Now, Adrien, are you ready to help me show everyone what **_real_** _magic_ is?”

Adrien’s eyes widened out of curiosity, but he nodded and said “yes”. Had the show up till that point somehow not been “real”? Everything that man had done so far had almost got Adrien thinking that maybe he really _was_ magic.

The magician pulled off his hat to reveal, not a rabbit, but a _white_ _dove_ sitting perched on his head this time.

Adrien looked simply awe-struck at the sight of it. Its head was turning and its torso was moving, so it was definitely a real, living and breathing dove!

“Adrien Agreste, can you tell me what this little guy on my head is?”

Adrien answered, “Um, that’s a white dove.”

“ _Excellent_ my boy! Do you also know what white doves are known for?”

Adrien, being a model student, answered his question perfectly although it was almost completely out of nowhere. “White doves are generally thought to be a symbol of freedom, and they are messengers of peace, innocence, and gentleness. If you see two doves together it symbolizes enduring, ever-faithful love.”

“ **Exactly!** ” The magician exclaimed. “ _Two_ doves _together_ symbolize **_love_**.” A wide smile extended from ear to ear on the magician’s face. “But, say, I only seem to have _one_ dove here…”

“Oh well!” He exclaimed, putting his top hat back on, concealing the white dove.

The audience was already wondering what he was up to.

“Now, I know this might be little _personal_ Adrien, but I would like to ask you something…”

“Uh-huh?” Adrien said.

“Of course, being a famous model must have landed you with a lot of _secret admirers_ and female supporters! – but, _Adrien_ , is there a girl that you _really **like**_ right now?” The magician asked him, a big smile on his face.

Adrien suddenly blushed and stuttered “ _Uh-_ I, well, um-“

“ _Don’t worry, don’t worry_! I’m not asking you to mention any _names_! Just answer yes or no. We wouldn’t want to break anyone’s heart tonight, _am I right ladies_?” The magician quickly added, chuckling at Adrien’s adorable reaction.

Adrien’s cheeks were flushed red, but he mustered a “Yes,” and added, “There is someone that I… _really_ _like_.”

(At this point Chloe was boasting from her seat about how he was obviously talking about her.)

At home, Marinette also blushed, hugging a nearby pillow tightly to her chest and sighing, remembering Adrien’s Valentines poem. Her parents noted that she seemed almost as nervous as Adrien himself.

“That’s **_amazing_**!” The magician exclaimed, upon hearing that Adrien indeed had someone in mind that he was in love with. “Love is an _amazing_ thing, my boy.” He said, getting ready to pull something out from inside his suit pocket.

“Are you also familiar with the term ‘love is blind’?” He jokingly asked Adrien, as he pulled out a blindfold. The audience laughed at his play on words and wondered how the blindfold would play into the magic performance.

“Um, yes, but not in such a _literal_ way…” Adrien managed to say, amassing him a few laughs in the audience.

Then, the magician took off his top hat again, and there was no dove on top of his head anymore. Adrien was completely perplexed. “Now, Adrien, would you be as kind as to take my hat and check it to see if it is indeed a perfectly normal top hat?”

Adrien took his hat and curiously turned it around in his hands, even showing the empty inside of the top hat to the audience when the magician asked him to do so.

The magician afterwards asked Adrien politely if he would put on the blindfold, and he did (much to his bewilderment).

“Now, Adrien,” The magician started, his voice lowered in a more solemn way. The audience waited eagerly, as did Mr. Agreste, who still did not look impressed in the least. In fact, once might think he looked concerned.

“Could you describe the person you like to me? You don’t have to tell us who she is, just tell us… _What_ it is you _love_ so much about her.”

Adrien, top hat on his head and blindfold on his eyes, thought about it for a moment. His cheeks were flushed red, but he smiled and managed to give an honest answer.

“What’s there _not_ to love about her?” Adrien sighed. “She’s just so **_incredible_**! She’s _strong_ and _smart_ and... **Beautiful**! When she smiles at me, it makes me _ten_ _times_ as happy and… and she’s _perfect_ in _every_ way.”

Adrien’s smile grew a couple more sizes the more he talked about _her_. About _Ladybug_.

(Of course, Chloe _still_ thinks it’s _obviously_ her he’s describing…)

Back at home, Marinette smiled secretly from cheek to cheek, hiding her flushed red face behind her pillow. Her eyes were completely taken with Adrien’s face, her ears listened to his every word, and she wondered if he was really talking about her or… not?

“ _Wow_ ,” the magician whispered. “Sounds like this girl’s really something special to you.”

The magician gingerly pulled the top hat off of Adrien’s head. Everyone in the audience clapped and laughed excitedly. Adrien had no idea what was going on until the magician untied his blindfold and held a mirror up to him.

**Two white doves** where sitting perched perfectly still on top of Adrien Agreste’s head.

Not one dove.

_Two_ doves.

Without him noticing until _just then_!

“ _Well_ Adrien,” the magician exclaimed smiling. “Looks like **_love_** was the **_real_** _**magic**_ all along!”

As he spoke, the two white doves flew away.

“ _Whoa_ ,” Adrien mouthed speechless.

And so, the great and romantic magician Mr. Rémy Bouchard’s act ended with a big round of applause and a huge smile plastered on Adrian’s face.

(Adrian was sure that this was another sign that his and Ladybug’s love was meant to be!)

Of course, being the big showman he is, the magician turned to Gabriel Agreste, probably the hardest man in Paris (or France for that matter) to impress, and while sporting a proud big-teethed smile he asked him,

“Well, Mr. Agreste, was the final performance to your liking?”

Adrien’s smile looked like it had frozen in place.

He looked at his father.

_Uh-oh._

He looked like Rémy Bouchard somehow outright _challenged_ him just then. Gabriel Agreste did not even move from his seat when he spoke.

“If you think you got anywhere _close_ to real magic, then you are mistaken. Your whole show is a **farce** , and all you have been doing has been useless tricks and set-ups. If your intention was to _impress_ me with your little childish pranks, then I will have you know that your entire performance has been _sorely_ lacking.”

…

…

…

Dead silence filled the room almost immediately, as if it came over the entire ballroom and stage as a sudden flood of water and suppressed everyone.

Adrien looked from his father to the magician, Mr. Rémy. He was completely appalled.

Adrien’s smile had long since left his lips somewhere during his father’s speech.

Just when he’d been so happy about his father finally letting him do something fun, actually letting him go on a stage and meet a real magician, he immediately went back to his old usual self. At a big charity event no less! On live TV!

The host of the event quickly ran up to the stage and started softly pushing Adrien and the magician off so he could try to regain the mood.

“Well, uh – **ladies and gentlemen!** After an… _unforgettable_ show like _that_ , who’s ready for some **_Jagged Stone_**?”

As Adrien and Mr. Rémy walked off the stage, the host gestured for the orchestra to come up and play some more lounge music to try to lighten the mood before Jagged Stone’s performance began.

Adrien felt bad about what his father had said to Mr. Rémy, and as he turned to look at him, he noticed the magician had already bolted it for the backstage door.

“Mr. Rémy, _wait_!” Adrian shouted, running after him. He opened the door to find Mr. Rémy running through a hallway, probably on his way to his makeshift dressing room (which was probably one of the nearby hotel rooms).

The magician was walking at a brisk pace, each footstep stomped angrier than the former. “Wait!” Adrien shouted, as he caught up to him. “Mr. Rémy, please wait.”

The magician halted. He did not turn to look at Adrien, the son of the man who just publicly scorned him after his big magic show. Even from behind, Adrien could tell he was mad with rage.

“Please, Mr. Rémy, don’t let my father’s comment bother you!” Adrien exclaimed anxiously. “Everyone else loved your show, especially me!”

He turned around to look at Adrien. Adrien continued sheepishly.

“Until now, I had never seen a magic act in real life! Everything you did on that stage really looked like it was magic to me, so… I wanted to thank you for that experience.”

Adrien looked up at him. His eyes seemed gentler than before.

“Thank you,” Mr. Rémy finally spoke. “You must not get out a lot. Usually, that is the kind of thing I hear from children, when they say they’ve never seen magic before.”

Adrien felt a little embarrassed at that comment.

“…That is all I want to hear from anyone in my audience… that they thought my performance was so real, they truly believed magic existed for a moment!”

Upon hearing that, Adrien looked up at the magician in respect.

…His expression changed from gentle to furious.

“And that’s what I thought I’d done for Mr. Agreste. But now I see that man is too cold to remember what it is like to be young and full of wonder about life!”

He clenched his fists and turned around, not looking at Adrien anymore.

“I honestly don’t understand how such a nice boy like you can be related to someone like **_him_**.” He sounded genuinely disgusted.

Mr. Rémy walked furiously away again, and slammed the door to his makeshift dressing room shut with a loud bang.

Adrien simply looked down at the hotel floor and sighed.

_My father wasn’t always like that,_ he thought silently to himself.

 

* * *

 

**“ _Showstopper_ ”**, a dark voice called out to Mr. Rémy once he had shut the door.

A black butterfly, an akuma, had landed on the rose on his chest pocket.

**“My name is Hawkmoth. I can give you _real_ magic powers, so you can show everyone who doesn’t believe in magic what it looks like! The only thing I want in return are the Miraculouses of Ladybug and Chat Noir.” **

“ _With pleasure Hawkmoth!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Marinette feared the worst as she continued watching the live showing of the charity event from home, ready to bolt upstairs for Tikki should Hawkmoth get involved...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No proofreading, no editing, just writing this on the go (TTvTT) it might seem like trash...  
> More to come in the next chapter!


	2. A Great "Lovely Assistant"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showstopper interrupts the charity event to host his own happening: a most thrilling, breath-taking, spine-tingling showcase of what true magic can really do! He’s also going to need a certain someone to be his “lovely assistant”...

The Gorilla brought Adrien back from the hotel hallway where he had tried to lift the spirits of the magician after the… _incident_ with Mr. Agreste. Adrien sat back down at the round table with his father and Natalie.

The show had continued, and Jagged Stone was about to enter the stage.

As Jagged Stone began strumming his signature guitar, a loud bang was heard coming from next to the stage. It was the doors to the backstage hallway that had opened in an explosion of rose petals. Out strode a man, who in glamorousness outshone even the magnificent magician that had trod the stage earlier. He wore a mystical glimmering mask upon his face, and he even wore an overwhelming cape.

Shimmering in a typical magicians costume of the colours of black, white and pink, he only had to snap his finger and **_POOF_** – suddenly, in another explosion of roses, he stood upon the centre of the stage, where Jagged Stone was.

Jagged Stone fled the stage, and the man simply snapped his fingers again to focus all spotlights on himself. He took a rose out of his breast pocket and held it up to his mouth. When he spoke into it, it functioned as a microphone, and his voice sounded loud and clear through the ballroom loudspeakers.

“ **Ladies!** ” He bellowed, silencing all of the ballroom guests. They were speechless.

“And… _gentlemen_.” He whispered playfully.

A smirk crept onto the questionable man’s lips, as he continued.

“I am **_Showstopper_**!” He exclaimed, proudly bowing towards the audience and tipping his glamorous top hat to everyone. “And although you were all invited here on account of Mayor Bourgeois’ little charity party, tonight’s show is _henceforth_ courtesy of the **benevolent** **_Hawkmoth_** , whom you may all know very well!”

Gasps rang through the guests of Mayor Bourgeois’ hotel. Adrien quickly duck under the table and whispered to the inside pocket of his shirt, “ _Plagg, we need to find a place where I can transform, quickly!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Even Marinette recognized Showstopper as the magician, Mr. Rémy Bouchard, who had been publicly humiliated by Gabriel Agreste just a few moments earlier.

She used her parent’s preoccupation with the events unfolding on the TV screen to quickly sneak unnoticed upstairs and into her room, where Tikki had been watching everything from Marinette’s computer.

“We need to get to Mayor Bourgeois’ hotel, and _fast_ – before anything bad happens!”

Tikki nodded in agreement.

“ _Tikki, **transform me**!_ ” Marinette shouted.

 

* * *

 

 

The audience members quickly panicked and bolted it for the nearest exit.

In all of the confusion, Adrien managed to slip away from under his father, Natalie, and the Gorilla. He crouched and jump-rolled from table to table, he ducked under the tablecloth of every table he stopped at, evading panicking feet and legs.

Ignoring Natalie’s cries for his name, Adrien leaped under the next table, eyeing the hallway doors from where Showstopper had made his grand entrance. Those were his goal. If he could get behind those, he could transform without anyone noticing – and just later tell everyone Adrien Agreste had made it out safely amongst the panicking crowd!

“ ** _Adrien!_** ” Natalie shouted. “ _Adrien_ , please respond!”

She faced Mr. Agreste. “Sir, I think it would be best if we got out of here!”

Mr. Agreste gave Natalie a furious stare. “If my son is in any way _harmed_ or _put in **danger**_ , I will personally have you **both** held responsible and **_fired_** _immediately_!”

Before Gabriel Agreste left for the exit, he ordered his assistant Natalie and his son’s bodyguard to find his son and make sure he was safely evacuated.

During the panic of escaping, someone knocked over the table Adrien was hiding under, and bared him of his hiding spot, completely visible to Showstopper. (Adrien didn’t see who knocked the table over, but nobody’s saying that it _wasn’t_ Chloe Bourgeois!)

Showstopper laughed at the sight of Adrien, who now suddenly appeared from under the table that was knocked over.

“Ah, **_yes_** ,” He exclaimed into the rose microphone, holding up his free hand, ready to snap his fingers. “The good old ‘ _now you see me, now you don’t_ ’-act!” A sharp _snap_ resounded from his fingertips.

All of the doors to the ballroom closed shut on their own in accordance to Showstopper’s volition, including the hallway-door that Adrien previously had his eyes on. The remaining audience members were now trapped inside: Adrien Agreste, Gabriel’s assistant Natalie, and Adrien’s bodyguard.

“Oh, I apologize _deeply_ to the rest of you who are now outside the ballroom and subject to only being able to watch my magic act on TV, but I was simply waiting for Mr. Gabriel Agreste to exit the premises before I closed the doors and began my show.” Showstopper smiled and winked directly into the camera facing the stage.

“And **_congratulations_** to those of you who are _still_ in here with me – **you three** just earned yourselves front row seats to a _live_ performance of the **Showstopper’s _grand premiere_**!”

Adrien hurried over to the closed hallway-doors and yanked on the door handles, but the doors wouldn’t budge. They really were trapped in there with Showstopper.

“Oh _no_ , Adrien my boy, I can’t have you leave so _soon_ ,” Showstopper laughed, and Adrien turned around to face him, eyes widened. “You’ll help me out with my next act, _won’t you_?”

Showstopper pointed his rose at the Gorilla, who was running over to Adrien’s side. “Have a seat, _monsieur_!” Showstopper yelled, as snakes shot out of the tip of his rose and attacked the Gorilla.

Natalie shrieked, and as she did, the Showstopper aimed his rose at her and did the same as he did to the bodyguard. Snakes shot out of his rose, and grabbed around her torso, sealing her arms and upper body movement tightly. The snakes then transformed into rope at the snap of Showstopper’s fingers, tying up both the Gorilla and Natalie.

Showstopper stepped nonchalantly down from the stage, walking towards Adrien. His cape faintly fluttered behind him.

“Adrien, listen, I am in need of a **great** ' _lovely assistant_ ' who will help me perform this next act…” He began. “ _And_ , since you _loved_ my magic _so_ much, I thought that you would be the _perfect_ _boy_ for the job!”

He now stood right in front of Adrien, a lopsided and devious smirk on his face. “Plus, I want to teach that damned Gabriel Agreste a lesson he’ll _never_ forget! And what better way to do that than use his own son in my **daring** new show?”

Showstopper extended his hand to Adrien. “ _Well?_ ”

Adrien narrowed his eyes at Showstopper, backing away from him and refusing his hand. “I could **_never_** worry my father intentionally like that!” Adrien’s expression changed from upset to sympathetic. “And you _don’t_ have to do this! Everyone else **_loved_** your show Mr. Rémy, please don’t let my father’s comments hurt your pride so much – he’s just **one** person!”

Showstopper gave Adrien an icy glare. “I am _not_ Rémy Bouchard anymore… I am **_SHOWSTOPPER!_** ”

He then grabbed his cape, tore it off his shoulders, and quickly draped Adrien in it. With a snap of his fingers, the cape that was covering Adrien from head to toe suddenly fell to the ground and revealed _nothing_ – Adrien had disappeared!

He picked up his cape, walked back onto the stage, and held it up like a bullfighter – teasingly holding it in front of the cameras that were recording the event on live TV.

Showstopper then pulled the cape away, just like a bullfighter, revealing Adrien Agreste once again – but wearing a completely different _outfit_ this time!

Instead of his casual clothes, a surprised Adrien now wore a costume consisting of a white dress shirt, a black vest and a black bowtie with black trousers and polished black shoes.

“And _now_ ,” Showstopper playfully purred. “Let the show... **BEGIN**!”

 

* * *

 

When Ladybug arrived at the hotel, seemingly all of the guests were gathered at the entrance to the ballroom, worriedly watching a TV screen that was showing the events that were transpiring on the stage inside.

“What’s going on?” Ladybug asked, stopping in front of the mass of people – directing her questing at the proprietor of the hotel, Mayor Bourgeois.

The mayor turned his panicked eyes away from the screen and cried out to Ladybug. “ _Oh Ladybug_ , it’s simply **_terrifying_**! The Showstopper has taken Adrien Agreste, the son of Mr. Gabriel Agreste, _hostage_ – and is using him for his **dangerous** magic act! Look, see for yourself!”

Ladybug quickly pushed away a few of the people that were standing in front of the screen to have a look herself. As soon as she saw, she gasped. “ _Adrien!_ ”

Showstopper’s voice sounded loud and clear form the TV. “ ** _Gabriel Agreste_** – This is your _punishment_ for your _transgressions_ against me! I might no longer be able to promise you that your son will be perfectly safe up on stage with me. Because, as you’re about to see, _real_ _magic_ is all about **_danger_** and **_excitement_**.”

Adrien was detained inside a thick glass cage. The glass chamber only allowed air to come in from the top of the glass cube, which was open. However, Adrien had no way of escaping through there, as he had shackles locked onto his wrists and ankles. The shackles had chains that were connected to the bottom of the glass tank, and if Adrien tried going up, he’d be yanked back down by the chains.

“ ** _Ladybug_** ,” Showstopper exclaimed into his rose mic, looking directly at her through the TV screen. “My _lovely assistant_ here,” He put his hand on the glass box containing Adrien. “Is going to need your help in this, my most **dangerous** act yet! In order to help him break out of this _inescapable_ predicament, you will need to lend me your **_Miraculous_**.”

Ladybug narrowed her eyes and sent Showstopper a seething death glare through the screen.

“Of course, if you _don’t_ ,” Showstopper deviously teased. Ladybug’s eyes widened and a sense of dread fell over her.

“ _Don’t do it Ladybug!_ ” Adrien shouted from within his glass prison. “It’s a tra-“

“ _Ah-ah- **aah**!_ ” Showstopper interrupted him. “No **spoilers**!”

Then he snapped his fingers, and Adrien suddenly felt his feet get wet.

Natalie and Adrien’s bodyguard could only watch in horror as the glass tank filled up with water from the bottom up. Adrien took a deep breath before the water enveloped his head and filled the chamber completely to the brim. He was now floating in water, trapped inside a glass cage by the shackles around his hands and feet that were chained to the bottom of the sturdy glass box.

“ ** _NO!_** ” Ladybug cried out. At that moment, her bluebell eyes were stricken with the worst fear imaginable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, that's another chapter down - only one more to go! Enjoying writing this, and hoping you enjoyed reading it :)   
> Next chapter is probably the end.


	3. Miraculous Breakout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Showstopper has demanded that Ladybug give up her Miraculous in exchange for releasing Adrien Agreste! Adrien’s life is in peril and Ladybug might not have much time left… She could really use Chat Noir’s help at this moment, but the damned cat seemed to be running extremely late. Oh, what’s a superhero to do?

“ ** _NO!_** ” Ladybug cried out in fear.

Adrien Agreste was floating helplessly, imprisoned in a glass cage filled with water. He was pulling at the shackles on his hands and feet. A few air bubbles escaped him as he struggled to break free, but to no avail.

 _Not again_ , Ladybug thought, her fright-stricken eyes stuck to the image of Adrien in lethal danger.

It was just like that time when Volpina had pretended to kidnap Adrien, and threatened to drop him from the Eiffel tower if she didn’t give up her Miraculous. But this time, the situation was _very_ _much_ _real_ – and **Chat Noir** wasn’t there to help her!

When Adrien was involved, she couldn’t think straight. In her day-to-day life as Marinette, she couldn’t even talk to him. And so, as _Ladybug_ , if it involved Adrien, she didn’t have the courage to take chances or to stop and think about her actions.

Back at the Eiffel tower with Volpina, the _only_ person who was able to think straight was _Chat_ _Noir_. He was the one who saw right through her tricks, and before she could take off her Miraculous, he revealed to Ladybug that Adrien wasn’t actually in any danger. It was like Volpina’s illusion had been downright _transparent_ to Chat Noir!

 _But now, without him to help me see clearly_ , Ladybug thought to herself, fearing the worst.

_Ugh, where **is** that cat?! _

Hearing a _spurt_ of bubbles snapped Ladybug out of her frightful contemplations, and Adrien had to cover his mouth with both hands to keep holding his breath in.

Ladybug held tightly onto her yoyo, the fear in her eyes replaced with sudden determination. “No time to wait or think.” She murmured to herself.

 _Tikki, please,_ Ladybug begged in her mind, gripping her yoyo one last time. _We have to make this one count!_

 

* * *

 

Showstopper snickered at the sight of Adrien struggling to hold his breath, taking pleasure in the thought that Gabriel Agreste was watching the whole thing.

Adrien tried stretching his body, holding his head up towards the surface of the water as much as he could, but it was impossible. The shackles that held him captive were too short for him to reach for more air.

“ ** _Showstopper!_** ” A girl’s voice reverberated through the locked entry door to the ballroom.

“ ** _I give up, you can have my Miraculous! Open the door, and I’ll trade you in exchange for Adrien’s safety and freedom!_** ”

 _No_ , Adrien thought and panicked. He didn’t want to believe what he was hearing.

If Ladybug gave up her Miraculous, **everything** would be over – they’d **lose** and Hawkmoth would **win** , all because of _Adrien_ , because of _Chat Noir_ , because of **_him_**!

Showstopper’s smile widened, and he immediately snapped his fingers to open the door for her.

There she stood, _Ladybug_ herself.

When she entered, the doors closed behind her.

She looked so… _defeated_. Adrien wanted to shout at her to stop what she was doing and not worry about him. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if the love of his life, his _Lady_ , were to ever risk her own life for his.

Showstopper stepped down from the stage, approaching Ladybug.

 **“ _Before_ you free the boy, tell Ladybug to give you her Miraculous!”** Hawkmoth ordered Showstopper.

He stopped right in front of her as the butterfly outline disappeared from his face. “First, give me your Miraculous,” He extended his open hand to her with a sly grin. “And _then_ I’ll let him go.”

Ladybug sighed and looked down at Showstopper’s hand in guilt. Ignoring Adrien’s muffled protests which only caused him let more of his precious breath escape in another burst of bubbles, she took off her earrings.

After gingerly dropping her red and black polka dotted earrings into the palm of Showstopper’s hand, he quickly closed his hand into a fist, securing the Miraculous in his grasp.

“ _Excellent_ ,” Showstopper exclaimed, a wide-toothed grin stretching from ear to ear on his face. “Hawkmoth will be _very_ pleased with your _sacrifice_ , I’m sure.”

Ladybug gave Showstopper a furious glare. “Now let Adrien go!” She demanded.

“A deal’s a deal.” Showstopper grinned and snapped his fingers. The chains and shackles on Adrien disappeared.

Ladybug smiled in relief, but only for a brief moment.

As Adrien tried swimming up to reach for air, the bottom of the glass box opened up like a secret hatch, and both he and the water contents of the glass tank immediately fell down and disappeared under the stage and out of view.

“ _What?_ ” Ladybug cried breathlessly. Her heart sank as quickly as Adrien had dropped below the stage.

“ **What did you do?!** ” She shouted at Showstopper, whose expression clearly illustrated his _amusement_.

 

* * *

 

Adrien panicked as soon as he felt the gravitational pull of the water around him, and he fell directly below the stage.

The water spread to the floor around him. He coughed and wheezed, catching his breath with ragged in- and exhales.

While he was regaining his breath, he looked around. Apparently, Showstopper had magically installed a secret trap door under the glass chamber. Directly under it were a set of iron bars of the same size as the glass cage that still held Adrian imprisoned underneath the stage, and the only light there was came from the hole above him.

“Alright,” Adrien said to himself, having finally recovered his breath. “We are completely out of sight now. _Plagg, **transform me**!_ ”

Adrien transformed into Chat Noir in the little prison, and as soon as he finished his transformation, he yelled, “ ** _Cataclysm!_** ” and quickly broke the bars that confined him.

“Now that’s what I call a **_miraculous_** _breakout_ -act!” He joked, before he escaped the area below the stage.

 

* * *

 

Stunting Ladybug’s wild eruption of emotions aimed at Showstopper, Chat Noir jumped out from behind the stage yelling, “No need to worry _My Lady_!”

Both Showstopper and Ladybug were surprised and turned to look at him as he ran towards them from the stage. “ _Chat Noir?_ ” Ladybug gasped confused.

“ **Where have you been all this time?!** ” She yelled at him furiously, scaring the living daylights out of Chat Noir.

“I’ve, um,” He began sheepishly, purposely keeping his distance from one very mad Ladybug. “I’ve been hiding in this hotel all along, waiting for the right moment to free the hostage!”

Ladybug gasped. “ ** _Adrien_**? Is he _alright_?” She asked him hastily.

“I have already freed the hostage, Adrien Agreste, and secured him in a safe place where Showstopper can’t find him!” Chat Noir assured Ladybug, flashing a mischievous cat-like grin at Showstopper. “Thanks to _you_ , My Lady.” He winked at her flirtatiously.

Ladybug immediately felt relief and happiness at Chat Noir’s words. “Thank goodness,” She breathed, letting out one last sigh of relief.

“But I don’t understand,” Chat Noir said perplexed. “How come you didn’t **de-transform** when you gave that guy your Miraculous?” He asked her.

Ladybug flashed Showstopper and Chat Noir a devious grin. She turned her head slightly to the side to show both of them her ears.

The earrings on Ladybug’s ears bleeped and one of the five black dots disappeared.

 **“ _No_!”** Hawkmoth’s voice rang through Showstopper’s mind. **“It was a _trick_!” **

“ **WHAT?!** ” Showstopper screamed. “ _But **how?**_ ”

“A real magician _never_ reveals their _secret_ ,” Ladybug teased Showstopper. “Isn’t that right?” She winked at Chat Noir.

The infuriated expression on Showstopper’s face was, in the opinion of Ladybug and Chat Noir, priceless.

“ _Of course_ ,” Chat Noir exclaimed amazed. “You used your power to create lucky charm earrings that looked _exactly_ like your Miraculous!”

Showstopper opened his palm and looked at the small ladybug-patterned earrings in his hand. “These are **fake**?!”

“Oh, _My Lady_ ,” Chat Noir purred. “Is there _nothing_ you _can’t_ do?”

To Chat Noir’s surprise, Ladybug gave him an honest look and replied, “Actually, there is.”

Chat Noir looked puzzled at Ladybug, who in turn gave him a confident smile.

“I can’t defeat Showstopper on my own, not without your help. And thanks to you, we can now go all out on this guy knowing that you got Adrien to safety!”

A mutual smile was shared and they both nodded at each other, happy that team Ladybug and Chat Noir was finally back together and ready to tackle the akuma.

One of the paw-spots on Chat Noir’s ring flashed and disappeared. “Alright, let’s make it _snappy_! I already used up my cataclysm to free the hostage.”

 **“They’ve already used up their powers,”** Hawkmoth informed Showstopper. **“They’ve got nothing else to throw at you Showstopper! Defeating them should be easy now, so hurry up and take them down – get revenge on them for ruining your perfect performance, _and then give me their Miraculouses_!” **

When the butterfly symbol once again disappeared from Showstopper’s face, he shouted, “ _Ha!_ ” and pointed his rose wand at Adrien’s bodyguard and Natalie, who were still tied up. “Don’t think you’ve won just _yet_!”

“Abracadabra!” He shouted, and the rope that tied up Natalie and the Gorilla turned back into snakes again. The snakes then followed the direction that the tip of his rose pointed to, and Showstopper pointed it directly at Ladybug and Chat Noir.

In reaction to the snakes that were closing in on them, Ladybug swung her yoyo in a circle at maximum speed while Chat Noir spun his staff to much the same effect; both of them deflected the attacking snakes by using their weapons like shields. Upon hitting their weapons, the snakes disappeared with a **POOF** in an explosion of smoke and rose petals.

“The akuma must be in his rose.” Ladybug notified Chat Noir.

“It’s either that or the akuma is in those fingers that he enjoys snapping so often, and _I_ honestly wouldn’t mind snapping his fingers as payback for toying with everyone’s emotions tonight.” Chat Noir replied, readying his staff for an attack.

Ladybug in turn positioned herself ready to battle. “Me too, but let’s try the rose first, shall we?”

Both nodded single-minded at each other in agreement.

“Looks like you’re out of _tricks_ Showstopper!” Ladybug shouted mockingly.

Showstopper held up his rose, ready to fire. “ _Eau contraire_ Ladybug, I’ve got a trick up my sleeve – or should I say – an **_ace_** up my sleeve!”

When Showstopper had finished his quip, playing cards started shooting out of his rose wand.

“ _Spread_!” Ladybug told Chat Noir, and both of them scattered off in opposing directions, dodging the playing cards.

The cards kept shooting out of the tip of his rose like a machine gun.

Showstopper frivolously aimed his wand at Ladybug, enjoying watching her restlessly dodge his ongoing attacks. “You can’t keep dodging forever Ladybug – with my _unlimited_ magic powers, I’ve practically got cards **_in_** **_spades_**!”

While Showstopper was laughing at his own joke, Chat Noir descended upon him from behind, targeting the rose wand with his staff.

Knocking the rose out of his hand, Chat Noir caught it while he landed with a squatting roll in Ladybug’s direction.

“NO!” Showstopper yelled.

Chat Noir stood up and playfully held the rose as if he was sniffing it. “Didn’t you know the good old ‘ _now you see me, now you don’t_ ’-trick?”

“Why, you _pesky_ little– “ Showstopper grumbled. “How **_dare_** you show up out of nowhere and _ruin_ **_everything_**?”

Ladybug victoriously took a well-earned break from her dodging and joked, “I guess even old magicians can still learn new tricks.”

“For _you_ , My Lady,” Chat Noir flirted, theatrically offering Ladybug the rose.

“Oh, how _romantic_!” She light-heartedly replied, taking the rose and ripping the rosebud off the stem, successfully destroying the akumatized object.

“NOOO!”

“You’ve done enough damage tonight little akuma,” Ladybug told the black butterfly as it left the broken rose. “ **I’m freeing you from evil!** ” She yelled, capturing the akuma in her yoyo.

Gingerly letting the newly purified white butterfly out of her yoyo, Ladybug said “Bye-bye little butterfly,” as it flew away.

Showstopper had turned back into the regular old magician, Mr. Rémy Bouchard. In front of him laid the fake Miraculous Ladybug earrings that Ladybug had created with her Lucky Charm earlier.

She picked up the earrings, threw them into the air, and yelled, “ ** _Miraculous Ladybug!_** ”

Everything had turned back into normal afterwards.

The guests were able to enter the ballroom again, and all the battle-damage that the place had received was already repaired.

Mr Rémy had absolutely no idea what had just happened, and simply looked befuddled at Ladybug and Chat Noir as they fist bumped in celebration of their victory.

“Ah, your Miraculous is beeping Chat Noir.” Ladybug reminded him, pointing to his ring.

“Oh, so is yours,” He replied. “I guess this means we must now go our separate ways.”

Ladybug gave him a serious look. “Not yet,” She said, to Chat Noir’s surprise.

“I need to make sure Adrian is okay. Where did you hide him?”

“Uh, _err_ ,” Chat Noir panicked and hurriedly came up with an answer. “He’s, um – _Yes_ , I took him someplace _secret_! It was, _ah_ …”

Scratching the back of his head, he then quickly excused himself saying, “Oh, would you look at the _time_!” whilst pointing at his bleeping ring. Chat Noir turned around and escaped through a nearby window, yelling, “I’m sure he’ll show up soon! Don’t worry about it!”

“ ** _Chat Noir!_** ” Ladybug called for him as he ran away.

Afterwards, she mumbled, “Ugh, _that_ _annoying_ _cat_ …” to herself when he was gone.

Apparently, Chat Noir was right, as it didn’t take long before Adrien peeked his head out from the door to the backstage area hallway behind the stage.

“Oh, _Adrien_!” Ladybug exclaimed happily upon seeing him walk shyly towards her. “There you are! – it’s so good to see that you are alright.”

“Thank you Ladybug,” Adrien blushed and told her “If it hadn’t been for you, I might’ve…” Trailing off sheepishly mid-sentence, Adrien took a looksee at Ladybug’s earring. For some reason that Adrien could not understand, she wasn’t at all occupied with the timer on her Miraculous and just kept staring at him absentmindedly.

Ladybug just couldn’t take her mind off how _dreamy_ his eyes were up close…

“Yes, I thank you as well Ladybug.” The voice of Gabriel Agreste sounded from behind Ladybug. Ladybug jumped and turned around to see Mr. Agreste putting a hand gently on her shoulder. “Thanks to you, my son is once again safe and sound. I am eternally grateful.”

Adrien had never seen his father so _calm_ and… _appreciative_ before. Somewhere inside him, he recognized it as his father’s affection towards him, thinking that he must have been worried out of his mind watching everything that had just happened on a TV screen without being able to do anything himself.

Adrien smiled, almost forgetting the true nature of his father’s personality… Because almost as quickly as he had recognized and treasured his father’s thankfulness towards Ladybug for having saved him, Gabriel Agreste shifted his expression from calm and content to angry and displeased faster than a split second. He turned _this_ side of himself towards Natalie and the Gorilla.

“ _You two_! Did I not say that if my son was put in harm’s way, I would **_fire_** you both _immediately_?!”

Natalie and Adrien’s bodyguard ashamedly bowed in apology to Mr. Agreste.

“Your _incompetence_ is _unacceptable_! How could you _ingrates_ have let this happen to **_my_** son, _Adrien_ _Agres_ – “

“ _Um_ , excuse me, _monsieur_ Gabriel Agreste?” A voice peeped from behind Adrien, aimed at Mr. Agreste. Gabriel Agreste halted his outburst and looked furiously at the man, Mr. Rémy Bouchard, who, in his opinion, now stood _uncomfortably_ too close to his son – especially considering the peril he had just before put Adrien through.

“Back away from Adrian **this** **instant** or _so help me_ , you will **_suffer_** the **_consequences_**.” Gabriel Agreste commanded the magician Mr. Rémy.

“Father, _please_ , he’s not really dangerous,” Adrien defended Mr. Rémy. “That was the _akumatized_ _Showstopper_ , not Mr. Rémy. Therefore, Mr. Rémy did keep his promise that I wouldn’t be in any danger with him.” He argued, still standing in Mr. Rémy’s defence.

“Why, of course!” Mr. Rémy agreed with Adrien. “As a magician, I am far too _proud_ to break a promise to my audience members.” He assured Mr. Agreste.

He then turned more solemn in his demeanour. “And… I am afraid that it was the same magician’s pride that turned me into… _whatever_ just happened. I deeply apologize for any harm that I might have caused you or your son Mr. Agreste.”

Mr. Agreste narrowed his eyes at Mr. Rémy. He then turned to the Gorilla and sternly said, “Well, if you want to keep your position, then _what are you waiting for_? I _demand_ that you take my son _home_ , where he is much safer than here.”

The Gorilla hastily obliged to Mr. Agreste’s command and guided Adrien away from Mr. Rémy.

“Wait– “ Adrien tried to get a word in, but instead of Mr. Agreste, it was actually Mr. Rémy who interrupted him.

“It’s alright Adrien my boy. Thanks to you, now I know what truly matters to me. You opened my eyes and made me realize that I shouldn’t be so easily offended by just **one** person. Even if my show isn’t for everyone, I still have lots of fans, admirers, and believers of magic, and it makes me proud to think that you are amongst one of them.”

Adrien perked up and smiled at Mr. Rémy, who in turn smiled and waved goodbye at him.

“Ah, yes, please be safe Adrien!” Ladybug hurriedly added, waving at Adrien who was being lead away by his bodyguard and Natalie.

“Um, is your earring, err, _supposed_ to be flashing and beeping like that?” Adrien nervously asked Ladybug, pointing to her ear.

“ _Ah_ ,” Ladybug exclaimed surprised, finally realizing how little precious time she had left. “Well then, uh, _gotta go_!” She hurriedly said, exiting the hotel through the same window that Chat Noir had previously used.

Adrien smiled and finally exited the hotel with his father, Natalie, and the Gorilla.

Apparently, the charity event had raised a good amount of money, even though most of the event hadn’t even had a chance to happen. According to an opinion poll, the audience at home rather enjoyed watching a live showing of Ladybug and Chat Noir in action!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's comments on this fanfic really lifted my spirits and gave me a smile on my lips all day long while I wrote this last chapter! Thank you all so much, I even giggled on my way to the supermarket just thinking about it <3


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